BY TAHA AKYOL
MILLIYET- Excavations in Ankara have found buried ammunition and weapons. These excavations were guided by maps found during searches of certain suspects' houses, offices and computers.
Sabih Kanadoglu, whose political views are clear, isn't criticizing these excavations, but rather complains they were delayed: 'The 1996 Susurluk scandal is at the head of these developments. During our investigation of Susurluk, we only saw the tip of the iceberg.' He criticized politicians from that time for blocking the investigation.
What is the Istanbul Bar saying about the excavations? It says wonderful things: 'Nobody saw the arms when they were buried there, then why now 70 million are watching their excavations? It's mysterious!'
Yes, this is what they said.
Yet the people who put them there 'secretly' had to hide! Then, during searches under the probe, clues were found in the seized maps, followed by authorized excavations covered by the entire media. These developments made headlines both in Turkey and the world.
In criticizing the Ergenekon probe, common sense shouldn't be lost.
In order to carry out the probe well, two extreme points should be avoided: One of these completely wrong stances is to judge all the names just mentioned in the allegations or their political bedfellows as guilty beforehand.
A very simple example: A person may speak in favor of a military intervention; this is awful in politics, but not a legal crime! Similarity of political views isn't enough to prove a relation with Ergenekon. Serious evidence is needed to show an organizational connection: regular meetings, common decisions, a hierarchal structure, etc.
If not, searching their houses, or detaining and giving the public the impression they are involved in Ergenekon is wrong. Such activities don't strengthen the probe; on the contrary, they strengthen those who want to stymie the probe, and violate human rights as well.
The other wrong stance is to criticize the probe by calling it completely wrong.
To weaken the probe, certain people out of touch with reality are saying of the uncovered ammunition, 'They're using Susurluk arms to legitimize the Ergenekon probe.'
The ammunition wasn't a problem if it wasn't unearthed! Unearthing it through the Ergenekon probe is the problem!
If the probe hasn't been carried out, would it have been unearthed?
Was it buried to make it decay?!
Or was it hidden in order to use later when necessary?
Certain circles say that the Susurluk investigation was blocked by politicians and bureaucrats!
Today there is no such obstruction; let the judiciary go ahead.
People with common sense are needed both to support the probe and urge the prosecutor and police to act temperately.